OSHKOSH (NBC 26) -- An Oshkosh area animal shelter says it's preparing for the potential increase in animal surrenders due to coronavirus.
The Oshkosh Area Humane Society (OAHS) said in a statement Wednesday that it is preparing for a potential major increase in surrendered animals due to people being hospitalized.
"We hope it doesn’t happen but we have to be ready if it does because those animals will need us,” said OAHS Executive Director Joni Geiger.
The OAHS said it already sees an increase in animals at its shelter this time of year, due to the weather getting warmer and animals wandering, as well as the start of kitten season.
"We’re looking at a potential avalanche of animals coming in the next few weeks or even months," Geiger said in a statement.
OAHS says it is unique in the fact it cannot close its doors to taking more animals like some rescues and shelters can, citing a contract with the City of Oshkosh and other surrounding areas to take in stray animals.
Like other animal sheltersin Northeast Wisconsin, OAHS has changed the way it does business due to the pandemic. Services are all done by appointment, including adoptions, surrenders, and stray animal return. The shelter has also changed its cleaning process and limited the number of people in the building.
The animal shelter says there are multiple ways the public can help at this time, such as assign a secondary caregiver for your pet if you become hospitalized. Provide an ID tag for your pet. If you have cats, you are asked to keep them inside during breeding season, which typically lasts from April to January in Wisconsin.
Another way you can help is through adoption. Right now, OAHS says all dogs 6 years old and under have just a $25 adoption fee and all other animals have no adoption fee. Click here to learn more.
